[Photos] UN Security Council members visit birthplace of Boko Haram

The United Nations Security Council continues its tour of the Lake Chad region, assessing the impact of the Boko Haram insurgency which has plagued the region resulting in insecurity and an influx of refugees.

On Sunday (February 5, 2016) they landed at the birthplace of the insurgency, capital of Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State, Maiduguri.

They met with displaced persons staying in one of the Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps in the embattled state, where the Nigerian Army continues to battle with the insurgents.

In recent times, The Lake Chad region has not been given the much needed attention, and, my colleagues and I, wanted to fix this mistake which was an injustice. That is why we brought the entire Security Council for the first time to visit the area and also Niger.

They also met with the Governor of the State, Kashim Shettima, and affirmed their commitment to support crisis response efforts in the State.

The ambassadors of the 15 member UN Security Council met with Niger’s president Mahamadou Issoufou in Niamey on Saturday with discussions centred around the threat posed by the Boko Haram extremist group and how they could avert a looming humanitarian crisis in the lake Chad region.

The UN has been drawing attention to what it calls, the forgotten Lake Chad basin crisis.

Borno State capital, Maiduguri is the birthplace of the Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed an estimated 100,000 – according to the governor, Kashim Shettima. It has also led to the displacement of millions of people.

Its effect goes beyond Nigeria with attacks by the group on countries in the Lake Chad region. Cameroon’s Far North region, Niger and Chad have all had their fair share of Boko Haram attacks and displacement.

Francois Dellatre, the permanent representative of France on the UN Security Council said: “In recent times, The Lake Chad region has not been given the much needed attention, and, my colleagues and I, wanted to fix this mistake which was an injustice. That is why we brought the entire Security Council for the first time to visit the area and also Niger.”

At the same time, envoys from the United Nations have announced a Conference on Chad to be held in a few weeks in Paris.

The initiative will take place under the aegis of the World Bank and will focus on the needs and steps needed to be taken for the development of the country and humanitarian emergency . It’s a bonus for Chad which is leading in fighting terrorism on the continent.